Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices Benjamín Tejerina, Cristina Miranda de Almeida and Clara Acuña Editors June 6-7, 2024 Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea Bilbao, Spain Conference Proceedings Forest Therapy and Forest Bathing: Exploring the Socioecological Connection in the Era of the Climate Emergency Olga I. Mancha-Cáceres1 and Susana Ramírez-García2 Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University (UK) and Social Anthropology and Social Psychology Department, Complutense University of Madrid (Spain)1 Geography Department, Complutense University of Madrid (Spain)2 By having reverence for life, we enter into a spiritual relation with the world. By practicing reverence for life, we become good, deep, and alive. Albert Schweitzer Abstract: The climate crisis and the global emergency pose complex challenges that extend beyond environmental aspects, basically their impact on individuals and society’s emotional and mental health. Ongoing analyses of the planet’s physical, economic, and social developments reveal data and clarify cause-and-effect relationships. These findings are driving the emergence of various proposals for the reconfiguration of social dynamics. Emerging concepts such as biomimicry, ecofeminism, organic Gaia theory, agroecology, and regeneration, among others, share the common thread of repositioning individuals within nature. They also share ethical and moral assumptions such as holism, diversity, empathy, compassion (in its etymological sense of “suffering with the other”), and reciprocity. This communication theoretically and analytically reviews nature immersion therapies, focusing on forest bathing, as an innovative response embedded in these new logics to address the human dimension of the global emergency. Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, has emerged as a socioecological practice that offers physical benefits and opportunities to strengthen the connection between individuals and nature. The relational approach in forest therapy, which views the forest as a healing entity, is presented as a valuable transcendent perspective beyond traditional pharmaceutical approaches. This vision proposes a symbiotic connection between the individual and their natural environment, fostering a mutualistic relationship where the person, feeling cared for by the forest, may develop protective attitudes towards nature that contribute to their well-being. Forest bathing is a holistic solution and Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices 663 systemic vision that provides a framework for addressing environmental concerns, eco-anxiety, and ecological grief. These findings have significant implications for improving strategies that promote personal and collective care in the context of the global emergency. This communication analyses the contributions from different disciplines involved in personal and environmental health care, and individuals’ self-perception of their place in the territory and the planet have been reviewed and assessed. The literature review has been complemented with ethnographic data. Keywords: Forest therapy, forest bathing, shinrin-yoku, human well- being, global emergency, tree-connection 1 Introduction One of the dimensions of the global emergency, marked by extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and pandemics, has to do with the interdependence between human health and the health of the planet. This text proposes a way to reconnect or reintegrate people into nature, based on the close relationship between human well-being and environmental sustainability, through forest therapy and forest bathing. We believe that, beyond an effect on the health of practitioners, forest therapy and forest bathing can contribute to a change in worldviews that help in the environmental transition. We understand global change as the set of environmental changes generated by human activity that are affecting, on a local, regional, and planetary scale, the bio-geophysical processes that sustain the global functioning of our planet (Duarte, 2009), but also, their belief frameworks or the ideological motivations behind them. It is in and from these frameworks that we focus on this communication. Thus, we theoretically and analytically review Forest Therapy (Miyazaki, 2003) and Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)1, as a modality of Nature Therapy as a socio- ecological practice in expansion and innovative response that connects human health with the health of the planet and that also has implications in terms of environmental sociopolitical and cultural agency. In addition to being healing therapies, practiced in institutionalized or non- institutionalized health contexts, we consider that they can be relevant in terms of political action, due to their desire for cultural transformation, and one more proposal among those that are being launched to sustain the ecosocial transition. 664 Originating in Japan in the 1980s, forest bathing is a “sensory experience” to absorb the stillness of the forest environment so that it “influences your mood and makes you forget the constant movement of the city” (JNTO, n.d.). This practice has gained global recognition and is backed up by research showing its benefits in reducing stress, improving the immune system, and promoting overall well-being. Physical benefits include lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and improving cardiovascular health. On a psychological level, this practice contributes to the reduction of anxiety, the increase of emotional well-being and the improvement of mood, based on relevant scientific studies. For our analysis, we have opted for a methodology that combines the review of scientific production, from anthropological, sociological, political, and territorial keys, related to Nature Therapy, particularly forest therapy and forest bathing, with the performance of ethnographic fieldwork, and autoethnography, in three forest bathing experiences carried out in the regions of Lancashire and Cumbria (United Kingdom) between January and March 2024. The work is presented as an exploratory theoretical and methodological proposal to carry out research of greater extension and scope. 2 Global environmental crisis and people’s reintegration into nature The economic activity of industrialized societies has caused severe environmental impacts and a growing awareness of the deep gap that has opened between people and nature. In this sense, the global emergency is also an emergency in the social and cultural order that makes us wonder about possibilities of action that facilitate a change of course that reintegrates people into nature, making them aware of the effect of their daily actions. There are several practices that share ethical and moral assumptions such as holism, diversity, empathy, compassion (in its etymological sense of “suffering with the other”) and reciprocity. Some of these practices, individual or collective, involve a strong awareness of the importance of not harming other living beings, for example, opting for veganism or vegetarianism, but also choosing consumption options that are more respectful of the life of those beings, opting for meat, eggs or fish that are not only ecologically produced, but “respectfully produced” (e.g. through livestock management models that are more respectful of natural or extensive cycles, in which the offspring are not separated from their mothers, in what some farmers call “happy” lives). They are proposals that aim to re-build a relationship with the planet in the key of personal and collective healing, reintegrating people with the natural world. Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices 665 We know that many cultures construct worldviews of nature that facilitate such re-integration with nature (Ingold, 1992; Rye, 2000, cited in Martín Páez, 2024, 107). This is not unusual, not even in the Western tradition, as Rodríguez and Quintanilla (2019) show in their analysis of Heideggerian philosophy and its possibilities for constructing re-integrative forms of relationship and thoughts for action. Forest therapy and/or forest bathing, star bathing or yoga practice, mindfulness in nature and biodance are other new practices. 3 Nature Therapy as a General Framework for a Response Nature Therapy, also known as nature-based interventions, ecotherapy, green therapy, and forest therapy, is an umbrella term to describe the use of nature or natural elements to improve mental and/or physical health. It is innovative because of its critical component in the face of the challenges of modern life and the growing awareness of the interconnection between human health and the natural environment, taken up in part in decolonizing processes and the co-creation of knowledge of traditional medicines from different cultural fields (Aparicio Mena, 2005), and represents a paradigm shift by proposing itself as an adjuvant therapy to the institutionalized health therapies of conventional medicine. Basically, Nature Therapy consists of carrying out planned interventions to achieve specific health improvement objectives, individually or in groups, in direct contact with elements and beings present in the natural environment, such as Earthing or grounding (Chevalier et al., 2012), forest therapy and forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku), water (Foley, 2015), air, and smells (or garden Smellscape–Experiences, Pálsdóttir et al., 2021), animals (equine therapy, Clark, 2024), stars (stargazing) or in therapeutic, olfactory or sound landscapes, among others. Some of these interventions are linked to traditional (indigenous, folk) medicine, understood by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on indigenous theories, beliefs and experiences of different cultures, which are used in the maintenance of health and the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental diseases” (WHO, 2023). Traditional medicine and holistic medicine share the premise that health cannot be understood in isolation, allowing for a more complete and balanced approach to health care. On the other hand, Nature Therapy challenges the conventional narrative of health-disease processes by arguing that establishing a connection with nature not only allows us to heal wounds, but also to prevent diseases, reduce cortisol 666 levels, reduce blood pressure, improve cardiovascular function or stimulate the immune system, highlighting the complementarity of these approaches with conventional therapies (Li et al, 2006; 2009; Wen et al., 2019; Antonelli et al., 2019; Bikomeye et al., Chae et al., 2021, Andersen et al., 2019). 3.1 Forest Therapy and Forest Bathing as a Model of Prevention and Healing Silvotherapy, forest therapy, forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku have been described as “a short excursion into the forest at a leisurely pace” (Li, 2018), but also in a more metaphorical way as the “practice of immersing oneself in nature using the five senses” (Hansen, Jones and Tocchini, 2017). The verification of the beneficial effects of forest walks on health has led to the consideration of silvotherapy as a new alternative-preventive medicine, being institutionalized in numerous national health programs, inspired by the model of the national health program of Japan (Van Keymeulen, Claessens and Ligot, 2022) and, in many cases, incorporating elements of native or traditional local cultures, as in the experiences of Chile and Canada. In Canada, since 2020, and in Scotland, since 2023, doctors have been prescribing forest walks to patients suffering from anxiety, to reduce their stress and improve their quality of life. The health problems that move a person to engage in forest bathing can be multi-causal. Some interviewees say that they have been recommended by their family doctor, psychological therapist, or a best friend. In other cases, informants report experiencing strong emotional responses, such as fear, sadness, or despair, to the perception of a future threatened by climate change, which Kurth and Pihkala (2022) call “eco-anxiety” and incorporate forest bathing into their other daily practices related to sustainability. Regular contact with nature, as part of forest bathing, has been positively associated with several improvements in physical health, such as significant reductions in participants’ blood pressure and, following exposure to essential oils released by trees (phytoncides) improvement in the immune system, increasing the production of natural killer cells. An improvement in cardiovascular function has also been observed, with reductions in heart rate, as well as positive impacts on lung function and respiratory capacity, being highly recommended for people with respiratory conditions. On the other hand, forest bathing shows interesting effects on mental health, with stress reduction being one of its most notable benefits, by decreasing the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and improving the response of the autonomic nervous system, leading to a general feeling of calm and relaxation, Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices 667 and has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety and depression (by increasing serotonin and depression levels). improved mood and self-esteem). Mindfulness, an essential component of forest bathing, also contributes to improved cognition and concentration. Conscious participation in natural experience, stimulating the senses and focusing on the present moment, also appears to have positive effects on brain function, including memory and problem-solving. 4 Forest Bathing and Symbiotic Person-Environment Connection The term ‘Shinrin-yoku’ is a neologism coined in the 1980s by technicians from the Japan Forestry Agency, which literally means “absorbing the atmosphere of the forest.” The concept is inspired by Shintoism, which reveres the spirits of nature and attributes spirits or energies to natural elements such as trees, forests, rivers, and mountains. As in other cultural and spiritual traditions, Shinto shares the central idea that nature is animated by spiritual entities or energies that can influence human life and well-being, namely kami, supernatural spirits, some local, others representing natural processes. Forest bathing contributes to forging a deeper and more meaningful relationship between individuals and the natural environment by allowing total immersion in it, facilitating self-knowledge and knowledge through the attentive sensory perception of flora, fauna, sounds, smells, temperatures, or textures, thereby nourishing ecological awareness (Li, 2018). From a perspective of ecological awareness and environmental responsibility, numerous studies collect evidence of the link between the subjective feeling of “connection with nature” and pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). Since emotions are antecedents of behaviors (Schneider et al., 2017), it is essential to understand them to extend a conscious awareness (Lu and Schuldt, 2015) to the social group that facilitates PEB. Or, as Orr (2008: 821) puts it, “improving people’s psychological health and sense of connection to nature” is part of the transition to a “sustainable society”. 4.1 The Forest as a Healing Entity When we talk about the forest as an entity, we are assuming an epistemological proposal that decolonizes the hegemonic ecological gaze. To do this, we need to know the processes of meaning-making that underlie experiences of reconnection with the environment and adopt examples that already 668 exist. For different cultural groups, intellectual and sentimental life, bonds, and relationships between individuals and within the group have the same characteristics regardless of whether their protagonists are plants, animals, or people. Any subject participates in the social life of the collective (Pignocchi, 2017) and the relationships that are established between people and other beings do not differ from those between people, as Ingold (2013) has studied in hunter-gatherer groups. In this sense, some approaches propose to transcend pharmaceutical approaches to forest bathing. For example, the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (2020) starts from a relational approach that refers to the forest as a healing entity in itself: the forest forms a sensitive network of different but integrated realities (soil, air and living beings) inseparably united, with sensitivity, awareness and that responds by questioning us when we enter it. As an integrated system, it sickens and heals in the same way as an organism, although the whole may help to heal a part. Or, in the words of a 60-year-old informant who practices immersive mindfulness in the forest, “when I practice in the forest, it’s not that I feel better, it’s that I feel part of the whole: my body is the planet, what hurts it, hurts me, and vice versa”. 5 Socio-Political Derivatives: Connected People and the Agency to Protect Nature In the last few decades, all these different perspectives that propose that people retake their place within nature (the environment/the environment) seem to be sedimented. Capra (1996) argues that this paradigm shift has to do with the adoption of an ecological vision of the world, based on the deep ecology of the Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss (1973), which does not set boundaries between ‘human beings’ and the environment, influencing, since then, environmentalist thought and action around the world. When people are more connected to nature, they do more to protect it. In this regard, Mackay and Schmitt (2019) conducted a meta-analysis on the relationship between subjective feeling of ‘nature connection’ and pro- environmental behaviour (PEB), revealing a strong and robust association between connection to nature and PEB, supporting the idea that connection to nature is a promising avenue to foster PEB, and recommending further targeted studies. Different studies show that the practice of forest bathing can contribute to a more complete and sustainable response to the global environmental crisis, by promoting a re-integration into nature, acting as catalysts, fostering ecological Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices 669 awareness, environmental responsibility, and a deeper connection with the natural environment. It may be that these new needs will be channelled towards their commodification and exploitation with the logic of accumulation. Or it may be that these new needs will give rise to land-use planning interventions for the creation of healing sanctuaries. 6 Conclusions The interconnectedness between human health and the health of the planet is recognized and embraced in the different modalities of Nature Therapy, and very specifically in forest bathing. The scientific and institutional recognition of the benefits of these practices has made it possible, so far, to include them as health practices in the official systems of different cultural areas (Catalonia, Japan, Chile, Scotland, Canada). This circumstance is expected to act as a catalyst for its scaling up and implementation as a model for training and raising awareness among people (as happened in the 80s with the promotion of recycling, in the 2000s with the reduction of consumerism, or, since the last ten years, with movements such as vegan or second-hand clothing, avoiding fast-fashion). If it reaches volume of use and economic activity, it is also foreseeable that co-optation will act by trivializing and trivializing its concepts and capitalizing on its benefits through the privatization of natural areas with the best qualities and the commodification of the practice with capitalist criteria. In this sense, protecting this resource, both in concept and method, should involve the dissemination of its meaning and social scope and the dissemination, through social programs, of the reconnection with the environment with a two- way nature-person healing spirit. Finally, forest bathing is presented as an opportunity for the development of forest tourism beyond the proposal of such and such as an “emerging type of rural tourism (...) to create income and opportunities” (Ohe et al., 2017), but as one more strategy to promote regenerative tourism initiatives, by promoting the close link of visitors with the spaces visited, and not mere “more pins on the map” (Mancinelli, 2009). 670 References Andersen, L., Corazon, S., and Stigsdotter, U. (2021) ‘Nature Exposure and Its Effects on Immune System Functioning: A Systematic Review’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1416. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041416. Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., and Donelli, D. (2019) ‘Effects of forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis, International Journal of Biometeorology, aug 15;63(8):1117-34. doi: 10.1007/s00484- 019-01717-x Aparicio Mena, A.J. 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Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news- room/questions-and-answers/item/traditional-medicine. (Accessed 19/02/2024). Methodological Appendix Research Design: The research design for this study involves a qualitative approach, utilizing participant observation, ethnography, and autoethnography methods. These methods enable a deep exploration of the experiences and interactions within the chosen natural settings. 672 Primary Data Collection Methods: Participant observation is employed extensively throughout the study. Researchers actively engage with participants during their forest walks, observing their behaviors, interactions, and responses to the environment. Ethnographic techniques such as informal interviews (5) and group discussions (1) are utilized to gather rich, contextual data about participants’ experiences in the forest settings. Additionally, autoethnography is incorporated, allowing researchers to reflect on their own experiences and perspectives as they engage in the research process, thereby enriching the interpretation of the data. Secondary Data Sources: While primary data collection forms the cornerstone of this study, secondary data sources are also consulted to provide additional context and background information. These sources may include relevant literature, previous studies on forest ecosystems, cultural perspectives on nature, and historical accounts of the selected forest areas in Lancashire and Cumbria. Sampling Strategy and Sample Size: The sampling strategy involves purposive sampling, targeting participants who have an interest in nature and are willing to engage in forest walks. Each forest walk comprises a group of 10 individuals, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. The sample size is determined based on the feasibility of conducting in-depth observations and capturing a breadth of experiences within each group. Place and Time of Fieldwork: The fieldwork for this study is conducted in three forests located in Lancashire and Cumbria. The specific forests chosen for the study were Brown Robin Nature Reserve and Bowness on Solway, both in Cumbria (UK), and Lord’s Lot Wood in Carnforth, Lancashire (UK). Fieldwork is carried out in February and March 2024. Abbreviations • PEB: Pro-environmental behaviour Biographical Notes Olga Inmaculada Mancha Cáceres has a degree in Geography and History (specialising in Geography) and in Social Anthropology and a PhD in Social Anthropology (UAM) and is a lecturer in the Department of Social Anthropology and Social Psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid, currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Lancaster Environment Centre of Lancaster Climate Change, Sustainability and Socio-ecological Practices 673 University (UK) (Requalification Programme-Next Generation, EU). Her research is interested in the ecosocial transition and the reconstruction of links with nature, from regeneration and ecofeminism. She is the author, along with Susana Ramírez García, of “Confronting Eco-Anxiety. the body as an agent and vehicle of the Ecocultural Revolution”, in Cornejo Valle, Mónica and Blázquez Rodríguez, Maribel (2024) Bodies and diversities: embodied challenges. Susana Ramírez García has a degree in Biology (specialising in Environment) from the UAM and a degree and PhD in Geography from the Complutense University of Madrid and is a lecturer in the Department of Geography at the same university. She is the author of several publications focusing on the role of food production in rural development, the environment and tourism. Notes 1. In this paper we will understand Forest Therapy and forest bathing as essentially equal activities, although it is necessary to clarify that the expression “Forest Therapy” (Miyazaki, 2003) has been seen both as a euphemism that seeks to present the practice of Shinrin-yoku in a more serious and therapeutic way, avoiding or softening some of the more informal or literal connotations of the term “Forest Bathing” (such as possible connotations of nudity in the forest, uncomfortable for certain audiences). Thus, forest therapy is a Shinrin-yoku backed by scientific data, as Miyazaky advocates.